COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The surge in air travel is continuing, with Monday scheduled to be the busiest travel day at Albany International Airport since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The travel hub expects 5,241 people to jump on board a flight Monday, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

“The summer travel season officially kicked off today and our travelers are back,” said Philip Calderone, CEO of the Albany County Airport Authority.” “This is turning out to be a busy week as we approached the July 4th holiday weekend.”

The Airport Authority and the TSA are both suggesting travelers arrive at the airport no less than two hours before their flight is scheduled to depart.

At the height of the pandemic, the number of people boarding flights each day at the Albany International Airport fell as low as 100. As the nation’s airports and airlines began to require protective masks during travel, that number started to increase.

Albany International Airport has maintained a vigorous health and safety program to protect both passengers and staff throughout the pandemic, with the addition of high-performance air filters, continuous cleaning of touch surfaces, and the implementation of the GE Wellness App that lets travelers check when designated areas have been sanitized. Under a New York State directive, masks are still required in the airport terminal.